posted by Robert Silverman
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2 years ago

This is a thing that happened. A man in peak physical condition, possessing strength that would put the average person to shame, was caught on video dragging his unconscious, much smaller fiancée (now wife) by the hair out of an elevator at a casino in Atlantic City.

What occurred prior has not been made public, but according to witnesses thatspoke to Deadspin, the alleged assailant threw an “uppercut,” while another said he struck her “like he [would punch] a guy.”

The gentleman in question is Ray Rice, star running back for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Today, it was announced that as “punishment,” he will be suspended for the first two games of the regular season, and levied an additional fine of $58,000 in addition to a prorated loss of salary.

If you think two Sundays of sitting at home seems like a fairly light slap on the wrist for what by all accounts was a brutal assault, you’d be absolutely right, especially in light of the punishments that the NFL has meted out for other transgressions—namely those that concern performance enhancing drugs and/or controlled substances.

Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns is looking at a year on the sidelines for marijuana and alcohol use. Granted, he’s a repeat offender with what appears to be an actual substance abuse issue, but Ace Sanders, the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver, just got four games for a second violation.

Daryl Washington got sent home for a season, but not because he got busted for two counts of aggravated assault of his girlfriend, for which he received a year’s probation.

And the list goes on and on. Via Aaron Gordon of Sports on Earth, here’s a list of the 27 players that have been suspended since 2006. According to the NFL’s math, a helmet-to-helmet hit that occurred during a game is the equivalent of Rice’s vicious attack.